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It's no New York pizza. Maybe my expectations are high for pizza in DC, but this wasn't as great as people made it out to be.
It seemed overpriced for what you go and when we went to pay they said their credit card machine was broken so they wanted to write down our CC number and hold on to it for three days until their machine was fixed. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed.
"So, it's this Salvadoran Pizza place," my host explained. I'm always up for new things, it was an easy place to agree to.
After a full and exhausting day of being a tourist, we were very hungry and probably anything would do. It was rather warm inside, but they turned on a big fan for us.
We ordered a few beers and a few pizzas. Of course the beers were good--nice and cold. The pizzas were very yummy, too. Three women-who-don't-eat-like-girls polished off two pies. My compadres didn't seem to like the crust, but I liked it.
I really enjoyed the pizza and I could really go for some sort of "Salvadoran Pizza place" right now!
I thought the pizza was delicious. The crust is smoky with a nice char and very very light. I had the spicy salami pizza with zucchini and tomato and my husband had mushroom and sausage and both were really flavorful -- particularly the portabello mushrooms and the spicy salami. I can definitely see myself craving this pizza.
This is not a chi-chi place and I'm not sure why people have come to demand that their pizza restaurants be that way. I love dark pizza restaurants with wood paneling and rickety tables, knick knacks on the walls, and a Ms. Pac Man table. This was sort of a Salvadorean version of that kind of place. So yeah, it's not fancy or romantic or hip -- just a nice and humble family restaurant vibe.
The staff was so welcoming and friendly and the prices were very reasonable.
They deliver and I think it's better than Paradiso, where they learned. The Diablo is my second favorite pizza in the city. Tried the carne once, it was ok, but they're much better at pizza.
FANTASTIC PIZZA. great service as well. Innovative menu for pizzas..the menu also has a salvadorean section which is also delicious. Not too expensive, and the foood is just awesome.
On the theory that pizza is like sex -- even bad is better than none -- I'll give any pizza place a shot. I had reservations about Moroni after reading some of the reviews, but thought, "How bad could it be? It's pizza!"
It's not bad. But it is "meh...". The wood burning oven saves the flavor, but kills the texture. What came out was more like flatbread than pizza: too crisp, too crunchy and the toppings too dried out. [Note to Moroni: zucchini as a topping is one of those "good in theory, bad in practice" ideas.]
The menu is reasonably priced (cheap beers, too, with an interesting selection), but the bottom line is I won't be back. It's one thing to have bad pizza (or sex)...but to go back for more? Nope.
The decor is a bit spartan (although they have tried to brighten up the place with some local photography on the walls), and the music can be a bit loud, but the great Neopolitan style pizzas, made in a wood burning oven, make up for it (try the Caprichosa or the Diosa). The owners previously worked at Pizzeria Paradiso so they know their stuff. Not in a pizza mood? Order something from the Salvadorean/Mexican menu. They have serve wine and have an eclectic selection of mainly American and Central American bottled beer, but oddly including Bittburger. Bitte ein Bit!
This Petworth Pizza place didnt do anything for me. I ordered in once, and I wasnt impressed. Not bad... but not good either.
With me being a pizza lover, I can say that the pizza at Moroni Brothers is nice and well prepared. I will take nothing from their pizza, which is getting plenty of run on here and rightfully so.
However, when I visit there, I am more apt to order the chicken, rice and salad platter. To me, that is the best chicken and rice of all the Mexican/Salvadoran restaurants in that area(many on 14th Street in the same neighborhood).
The restaurant is clean. The service is WONDERFUL. No matter the time of day, you will easily find a parking space within a block of the restaurant.
This restaurant is my FAVORITE place to sit down and eat in the Petworth neighborhood of DC.
I decided to give their delivery a shot since I heard they started doing this. Much to my dismay, when I called to place my order I was told they did not deliver to me. My sense of distance is a little unreliable, so I decided to Google-map it and found that I am exactly 1 mile away! I know they are a bit of a mom and pop shop, but I would have assumed they could journey 1 whole mile. Needless to say, I was a little disappointed...
Now, as you can see in my rating, I won't dock them any points for this. The pizza is still uber-good and they are close enough for me to make my way up there (and worth it!). I'm just still scraping the barrel for a good delivery option...
Now this is some good, unpretentious pizza! Atmosphere is way casual and it helps if you speak some… Read more »
Good pizza, definitely, and I would come back but I don't love, love, love the place... After all the hype about this place I expected super fabulousness rather than being able to let this place be what it is .. a good new option for a casual dinner in the neighborhood. And it definitely is that!!! The decor a bit "limited" but good brick oven pizza....
When we came in the music was so loud we literally had to yell at each other. They did turn in down.... There is a small selection of pizza and then the "build your own option". I had a pesto chicken pizza that was good.
The dessert menu is a bit limited but the flan was decent. They corona hot the spot after sanding wood all day at a friend's place (-:
My Italian father-in-law would be proud of this place. Actual table cloths and cloth napkins and very, very good pizza with fresh toppings.
It's never crowded, due to it's location, but don't let that put you off. The new waitress is helpful, friendly, and attentive - more so than the old one - and also speaks and understands English better than their old waitress.
I love that on any given day you see hipsters, homeboys, and construction workers all enjoying lunch.
Can't speak to the non-pizza fare, but it looks good and authentic.
It was one of those lazy winter days that we didn't feel like showering, shaving or going out of the house. So I said, "what do you want to eat?" and he said, "pizza from Moroni".
I'd forgotten how good these pizzas are. It's close to artisan pizza crust with a good selection of toppings by folks who worked up the ranks at Pizza Paradiso. The wife still works there while the husband runs, and works in, this shop. Their menu is schizophrenic: mostly Salvadorean with a page of pizza and panini . I haven't had the Salvadorian food and am not reviewing that here.
We ordered for delivery and the pizza came within 30 minutes of ordering, was piping hot, had perfect crust, and great tasting ingrediants. I would put them somewhere between Red Rock (which I consider a top standard) and Pizza Paradiso (which is also excellent). It's more prole than artisan but well beyond the majority of pizzas out there.
We don't have a lot of choices for delivery in Petworth (hint to restauranteers). This should be among your top.
Tasty pizza, and it was worth the trip, but I've had better.
The pizza here is good-- thin, crispy, and delicious. Very flavorful. I was surprised at how light the pie was. I shared a pizza with a friend who commented that it felt like she was "eating air." That's not a bad thing, depending on your tastes. But if you like a more substantial, filling pizza, you might want to load up on the toppings (We had a tomato, basil, mozzarella pie, or something like that.)
Beyond the pizza, I was disappointed with the service and the decor. The server was friendly enough, but somewhat aloof and inattentive. For example, the server spilled half of my beer all over our table while pouring it into a glass. Okay, stuff happens. She apologized, but then she did not replace my bottle of beer--she just gave me the half-spilled bottle! And, even more annoying, she didn't even wipe up the table-- we had to wipe it up ourselves!
As far as the place itself, it is small and has potential, but could be much cozier. For me, the large TV over the bar blaring Spanish-language soaps kills any ambiance the place could have.
Overall, I'm glad I went and the pizza is good enough that I'll definitely visit again, but the service could use some improvement.
Delicious pizza. Great crust cooked perfectly, right amount of cheese, flavorful sauce, wonderful topping options that are added on in correct proportion. AND: Salvadorian food.
I only had the corn tamales and pupusas on the Salvadorian side of the menu, both were solidly good. There are better places for Salvadorian food which are closer to my house. But I like the idea of having 2 cuisines in one place and both are actually done well.
Only gripe is that they seem to add olive oil to the top of the pizza once it's cooked and it's just a little too oily for my taste. However, the service is friendly and they'll let you sit there for hours and chow down which makes for a very pleasant dining experience.
Second best pizza in DC after Red Rocks although I still haven't tried Matchbox yet. Whenever I want takeout I order it from here. Staff is nice, prices are good and the pizza is delicious.
I heard the pizza here was good so i went with my girlfriend to check it out. we are seated and we get our drinks. Then out of nowhere mexican music goes on the juke box SUPER loud. like house party loud. full on mariachi band, tubas and acordians. it was kind of funny at first but it didnt stop the whole time we were there. we couldnt talk to each other it was so loud. never ever goin back there. pizza was mediocre
Who knew that El Salvadorian and Italian would be such a great mix? What a fantastic fusion of cultures that reflects the needs and the character of the neighborhood. Welcome to Moroni, may you live a long life.
At this great new Petworth joint, I like to go a little Latin and a little Italian, so I start with one of the cheese pupusas. Then I order one of the pizzas. The toppings are high quality and the dough is nice, light, and flaky. I've tried the diosa (fantastic, wow, love the pine nuts and tomatoes), the diablo (wonderfully spiced), and one with eggplant which is fine but not as exciting.
Jose and Reyna Velasquez own the place, and chances are that Jose will prepare your food and Reyna will bring it to you. The couple immigrated from El Salvador in the early 90s and spent 15 years working at Pizza Paradiso. It's a nice surprise, then, that their pizzas aren't just as good as Paradiso's, they're better. Pizzas are within a dollar of $9 for an 8 inch and $14 for a 12 inch.
They concentrate more on the Salvadorian food in the morning and the Italian food at night. Go early and get yourself some horchata!
A few additional interesting tidbits:
1. They deliver.
2. Soon, they'll have vegan pizza with soy cheese.
3. They're talking about outdoor seating in warm weather.
4. They're community oriented (had a nice fundraiser for the victims of the recent Mt. Pleasant apartment building fire)
5. No free refills on the sodas.
This is at Georgia and Decatur. Go now. The 70 bus runs right up Georgia and will have you there in a jiffy - or take the 52/53/54 up 14th street to Decatur and walk over.
A strange mix of Salvadorean and pizza, but good nonetheless. The pizza is decent and there is a good mix of toppings to get. Not worth going out of your way for, but nice to have in the neighborhood and relatively affordable.
I was inspired to check this place out Saturday night because my girlfriend was in the mood for pizza and mentioned to me that this place is also a Salvadorian restaurant. My gf ordered a pizza and it was just ordinary and had a certain bland, frozen pizza quality to it. I made the mistake of ordering a Peruvian dish, lomo saltado. It was subpar and way too salty, and I was totally suckered into ordering it by the prospect of eating my lomo saltado with Salvadorian tortillas. The tortillas were pretty gross, too. Overall, a pretty poor dining experience.
This review is for delivery only (have not been to their physical location).
If fresh, tasty pizza is your thing, then look no further. There's some more adventurous pizzas on the menu for your perusal (egg, potato...) but even for just a "regular" pizza it doesn't get much better than this.
The pizza is thin crust, and has a perfectly-proportioned amount of toppings. No greasy mega-cheese-stuffed Pizza Hut nonsense. And the ingredients are...fresh! No nasty canned mushroom slices - your pizza will have freshly-sliced strips of mushroom.
We have ordered from them twice and I look forward to my next Moroni Bros. craving...
After having Moronis at a friends, and sick of the usually Pizza Boli orders, I looked up Moronis menu online and ordered pizza and nachos. Yes, thats right pizza and nachos. Their delivery is quick and its really some of the best delivery pizza in the area. Yes, its no Amys, but its in Petworth and they deliver!!! Their pizza has a nice, thin crispy woodfired taste to it and the mixture of toppings available is expansive to say the least. Feeling adventurous? Try the Moderna, a yummy pizza that has diced potatoes, cheese and an egg cracked in the center before cooking, sounds weird but i love it. They also have downright tasty tamales, that yes, they deliver as well. I am always happy to see smaller upstart businesses take root in an area of DC that really craves development.
I was visiting a friend in DC and we ordered pizza from this place. An hour and 15 minutes (an two phone calls) later, we finally received our "large" pizza. The pizza was maybe 12 inches in diameter. Basically, enough for dinner for two people. Which was unfortunate because there were three of us.
The pizza itself wasn't horrible. Chewy crust, and decent toppings, but also a little burnt.
Oh yeah, the cost? Twenty dollars without the tip...
Skip this place. I created a Yelp account just to post a review.
Well now that this little restaurant has been written up in the WAPO I am sure it will start getting a bit more popping.
I really enjoyed the pizza here. I got La Capra which had spinach and chucks of garlic and mozzarella and other tasty fresh ingredients. It does take a little while to be ready.
The waitress we had was okay. She was never too far away but we did have to wave her down a few times. Then again she was the only waitress in the whole place. This wasn't such a bad thing. It's just not going to be your typical really big restaurant slash chain restaurant experience.
It is a bit pricey for Petworth honestly. Worth it. But Pricey. I don't mind paying it only because I want more restaurants to come to Petworth and the ones that are already here to stay. But still.
I liked it better then Red Rocks. It wasn't soggy at all. The pizza that is. They also have other food but the pizza is what people go for.
My only word of caution is that they charge you for each soda you get. No free refills here. Plus each refill cost $2.00. It's almost a better deal to get a bottle of beer [which is pretty cheap here. something like $3.95].
They also have started delivering. Which is awesome!
To have good pizza--not quite 2 amys, but better than Red Rocks and Paradiso--a few blocks from home? !! priceless!
plus cheap drinks, a very laid back atmosphere, and a true
american dream story make this one of my favorite places.
I have only had the salvadorean food for breakfast, will try it for dinner one night if I can tear myself away from the diavola pizza.
These guys know pizza - big time! Ate there last night with some friends and we had 3 different kinds of pizza - all yummy with fresh ingredients! Crust was perfect and they were definitely not stingy on ingredients like at that awful Red Rock place. Rumor has it that the owners had once worked at a well-known pizza place in town - hence their secret to the crust?? :) Staff was super friendly with big smiles and the service was excellent.
So they not only do pizza but they've got breakfast and all other kinds of food from pupusas to fajitas to huevos rancheros!
The secret is out everybody! Do i dare say that this is one of the best pizza places in this town?
It's also perfect for us vegetarians!!! So many options!
I am basing this review on just one experience...
this is a little restaurant with a fancy brick oven for baking the pies and a friendly staff. the menu offers both Salvadoran fare and pizza. the brothers honed their craft at Pizza Paradiso, and they specialize here in similarly thin, tasty crusts.
we ordered the Diavola, with thinly sliced peppers and a little sausage. the crust was good. i would have liked a bit more punch wrt ingredients/sauce, but the quality was certainly better than big chains. i would not call this pizza greasy by any stretch. 2 of us shared a large, and ate the whole thing, we were hungry, but the pies are not huge. perhaps i feel the pizza is a tad overpriced? i would like to try a few other options, and i'm interested in comparing it to PP and 2 amys.
the staff here is very friendly. what i like most about this restaurant is sort of the idea that these folks took a risk and spent the money on this oven and opened a restaurant. i don't mean this in any condescending way
i want to support it & will def. be going back. it is certainly worth a visit. we parked on a nearby sidestreet.
As a vegetarian pizza is critical to my survival. I am greatly relieved that there is now an excellent take out option in Moroni & Brother's pizza restaurant which opened in Petworth last month. Petworth was sorely lacking pizza options until recently opened Red Rocks came along. Now the neighborhood has two fine choices.
Owners Jose and Reyna Velasquez worked at Pizzeria Paradiso for 15 years before opening Moroni's. They have certainly honed their craft. The La Capra pizza features spinach, roasted garlic, goat cheese, and onions. It is the closest thing I have found to my favorite pizza, the Mediterranean, made by Goat Hill Pizza in Potrero Hill, San Francisco. That's the highest praise I can give to a pizza. I highly recommend you get several of the 12" pizzas (the 8" is not enough). I've also had and enjoyed the Moderna (featuring potatoes and egg) and the Bianca (oregano, parsley, red onions, parmesan, and pine nuts).
If forced to compare Petworth's new pizza providers I'd say the pizza at Moroni's is superior while the beer, wine, and ambience at Red Rocks makes that establishment a better eat-in option. Either way, pizza has finally arrived in Petworth.
Pizza and Papusas!! This is the perfect place to go on a Sunday night - which you think when you see the red neon "pizza" sign and you know as you sit there drinking your negra modelo (or glass of wine) listening to the Salvadoran juke box. Everyone in the place just seems happy - some local guys having a drink and the waitresses serving up great pizza. It's got a Moonstruck feeling, only add some jalapenos.
We had the Diavola - which does not disappoint - My only complaint is that the sauce could be a bit more seasoned - But you don't lack for flavor especially with all of the excellent fresh ingredients. I also had the cheese papusa for an appetizer - and it was delicious. And having high standards for pizza - I was so happy to find delicious pizza in DC!! The crust is definitely the best part!!
I don't know the pizza particulars, but I know when I like a pizza, and I love Moroni's pizza. The crust is yummy without being greasy, the cheese tastes fresh. They don't cram a ton of toppings on it so all the tastes meld together nicely and it is quality. The Pollo Pizza is the only pizza I've ever eaten with chicken that tasted like pizza should have chicken. The pepperoni is real, not Hormels. It is unique and doesn't taste like any other pizza I have had recently.
And bottom line, they deliver. In Petworth no less.
Moroni has a very blah and sometimes annoying ambiance so I get take-out about 50% of the time, but the food totally rocks and the owners are sweet. The pizza is so good here - I feel strongly that it kicks the a$$ of Red Rocks in CH and is very much on the same level as Pizza Paradiso, in fact I think the owners worked there for many years. La Capra is my favorite. The Salvadorian brunch items are also very tasty and you get a lot of food for the $.
Having had Moroni & Brothers pizza twice now I can honestly say there is no reason for me to eat Dominos/Papa Johns and the like again. Moroni's (who now delivers) makes fantastic pizzas with a thin, chewy, buttery crust and the perfect amount of toppings. The menus starts with pages of traditional Latin American dishes, and while I love and really want to try that stuff, I'm hooked on the pies! Oh, and the flan ROCKS. The staff is really nice and attentive--many of them live in the neighborhood, so its truly a Petworth-based operation. Support local business!
I am so sad to report that I am hugely disappointed. I guess it comes down to the fact that you should be skeptical of anywhere called "Moroni Bros" that has one menu page dedicated to pizza and like 6 dedicated to El Salvadorian food. After having this place talked up incessantly I finally tried it and it was mediocre at best. Dumpy little place, but I guess it might charm some. TV blaring bad soap operas. Friendlyish but mostly absent waitresses. The pizza was small. The dough tasted like it had been left in stale water. The topings were meager. There are some tasty sounding pizzas on the list and the 4 sampled by my dinner mates and I were all decent, just nothing to write home about. I'm not sure if the raves were Petworth residents desperate for something nearby, just a general result of DC having generally terrible food, DC residents generally not having high food standards (or diminished standards depending how long they've been putting up with this sad state of cuisine), but all in all it was a bummer to hear so many recommendations about how this place is the best pizza ever and then be sorely disappointed! Sticking with Red Rocks for now--what's a few screaming children when the pizza is delicious? Hell, might even go back to Radius at some point.
There's nothing to complain about at Moroni Brothers - it's a fine pizza, a friendly atmosphere, parking aplenty. But for the same money, I would just as soon go to Red Rocks and get a slightly better pie. On the other hand, Moroni's is perfectly fine spot when you want zero pretense and a warm neighborhood feel with little chance of running into posers or hipsters.
one more star for Moroni- I tried their Salvadoran/mexican food - delivery was prompt and everything- enchiladas, tamales were sumptious - also because I realized they didnt charge for delivery and I didnt tip the guy enough- guilt guilt guilt- Ill be back and Ill make it up to him!!!
This place and New Havens is the best- the only reason I didnt give it 5 stars is because I cant… Read more »
My boyfriend and I went in for a relaxing Saturday lunch about 2 weeks ago. We should have known from the moment we walked in and cartoons were BLARING on the in-dining room tv that this meal would be anything but relaxing. But, so what, a little Saturday morning cartoon action? No problem, we looked right past it and waited for our server to take our drink order and bring us menus. And waited. And waited as we (the lone 2 diners in the establishment) watched the lone server stand at the bar and talk to the cook. He knew we were there- he sat us, but he was clearly in no rush. But hey, neither were we, so no big deal. We both ordered a pizza and I, a diet coke. 20 minutes later, I flagged down the server for my diet coke. Another ten minutes later, I flagged him again for my diet coke. 5 minutes later it actually arrived and it was flat. I sucked it up and drank it anyway. My patience was waning, but I was still cool and collected and not too bothered by the slow service- it's a family-owned neighborhood restaurant, just starting out, so no big deal, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. Another 15 minutes passes and our food arrives. The pizza was TERRIBLE. Period. End of sentence. The cheese was not even fully melted and the crust was still half-dough. There were 3 tiny (dime sized) pepperonis on the whole pizza and 2 of them were stuck together on one piece. I would have loved to ask if there was anyway they could throw it back in the oven, but the server never came back to our table. The crust was bland and doughy (even if fully cooked, it would have been bland), the marinara sauce was, again, bland and devoid of any flavor other than lukewarm canned tomato slop, and the toppings were non-existent. TERRIBLE pizza on top of HORRENDOUS service (even for a pizza joint!) coupled with the fact that there were THREE DIRTY BAND-AIDS on the ledge next to my window seat lead me to Yelp. I've been to Red Rocks 3 times and each time had a great experience and enjoyed their pizza. Same with Pizza Paradiso. To me, Pizza at Moroni and Brothers is an afterthought as their Salvadorian food looked pretty good. But, I will NEVER be back to this place again. The Wendy's Spicy Chicken sandwich I picked up on the way home was divine though.
Washington, DC
Category: Coffee & Tea
Washington, DC
Category: Pizza
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights
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